All of this talking about Aidan has made me think of a question I have been wanting to ask. How do I stop him from sucking his thumb? He has never been fond of pacifiers, but he loves his thumb. His thumbs are already all dried out and chapped from him doing this.

My sister was a thumb sucker until she was about 8, and later in life needed braces because she messed up her teeth pretty bad. I don't want this to happen with my son.

What is a good method for getting him to stop that?

Wait until he is 5. This is what I did with all 4 of my kids (2 sucked thumbs and 2 sucked index fingers). Prior to the fifth birthday, about 2 months, we discussed the importance of turning 5 and going to kindergarten. The night of the 5th birthday the thumb, or finger, does not get sucked.

Worked very well on my 3 oldest, but am having a tough time with my youngest. He has to "plug in" when he gets stressed. So, I just continuously (in my mommy voice) have to say FINGER, to remind him to take it out. He is slowly coming around.

I tell Aidan to take his thumb out when I notice he is doing it, and he listens too. Maybe he is coming around also. The majority of the time he does it is when he is tired and wants to go to bed.

It is a relaxation method for children when they are tired or stressed usually. It calms them.

As Aiden is only 2, I would not be too concerned yet. My pediatric dentist said that it must stop when they begin losing their teeth.

Ahh okay. Thanks! :)

http://www.babyzone.com/toddler/a2126
http://ia.essortment.com/childchildrent_ritj.htm
http://www.drgreene.org/body.cfm?id=...detail&ref=856

Hope these links are helpful! :) :)

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Originally Posted by firmbeliever

Pregnancy, Parenting and Family planning community and resources
How to stop your child sucking their thumb
Thumb Sucking - DrGreene.com

Hope these links are helpful!!:) :)

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Thank you they are very helpful! :)

Anytime... well anytime I am online :) :)

My daughter is a thumb sucker. (I was also a thumb sucker.) She is almost 7. She typically only does it when she is tired. SHe also has these cloth diapers that she sniffs. It started when she was a baby. She was totally bald and when her hair started to come in, she would suck her thumb and pull her hair. So, my mom suggested to give her something to hold - we gave her the cloth "nappies" and she has had them ever since.

I am not getting to upset about it. She will stop when she is ready - I did. We are on the road to braces, regardless if she sucks her thumb or not - so if she needs to do it - then so be it. She has started to hide her nappies when her friends come over, so I think she is starting to out grow this.

Your son will also. I really think it is something they use to self-soothe. And if they can calm themselves down - that's good right?